UCLA Basketball: Mick Cronin Crushing Transfer Portal with Deft Recruiting

The Bruins' head coach has earned plaudits for his recruits thus far.

Feb 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After an unsuccessful 2023-24 run with an influx of talented international prospects ended with his first sub-.500 record ever with the UCLA Bruins (they went 16-17 and missed the NCAA Tournament), head coach Mick Cronin pivoted this offseason, opting to recruit stateside, proven commodities via the league's transfer portal.

And it sure seems like his haul is well-regarded so far.

Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation ranks the Bruins among the seven teams to have most benefitted from using the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, along with the Indiana Hoosiers (who added Arizona center Oumar Ballo, Illinois wing Luke Goode, and others), the Missouri Tigers (Iowa guard Tony Perkins, Duke forward Mark Mitchell, and others), the Illinois Fighting Illini (ex-Notre Dame big man Carey Booth, former Louisville swingman Tre White, et al.), the Kentucky Wildcats (Oklahoma State center Brandon Garrison, Wake Forest forward Andrew Carr, and others), the Kansas Jayhawks (South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo, Florida guard Riley Kugel, and more), and Penny Hardaway's Memphis Tigers (South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo, Florida guard Riley Kugel, and more).

This year, the Blue and Gold have brought in former Pac-12 All-Defensive USC Trojans small forward Kobe Johnson, ex-Louisville Cardinals guard Skyy Clark, former Oklahoma State power forward Eric Dailey Jr., recent Oregon State big man Tyler Bilodeau, former South Dakota State forward William Kyle III, and former Loyola Marymount guard Dominick Harris.

O'Donnell praises Johnson's athleticism, defensive skill and aptitude for driving inside. He also likes Clark's ballhandling ability, while cautioning that he is somewhat erratic quarterbacking an offense (ostensibly, Dylan Andrews should help with that aspect for UCLA). O'Donnell also appreciates the big body the club will be getting in Dailey, and the dunktastic efficiency of Kyle.

As far as the club's incumbent pieces, O'Donnell appreciates the Bruins' retention of Andrews, Mack, sharpshooting swingman Lazar Stefanovic, and underperforming true freshman center Aday Mara.

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